Golden Eye
by snapplegreenet
Summary: Vanessa Forsyte is a failing author who lost all hope on her dreams of becoming a successful novelist. But will the formation of the Terregenisis; the activation of her newfound psychic abilities, and meet ups with some of Marvel's greatest heroes get Vanessa to see her true calling of becoming Marvel's newest hero known as, Golden Eye?
1. The Transition

Vanessa Forsyte: Golden Eye

_Chapter 1: The Transition_

Vanessa Forsyte sat at her laptop frozen. Her body left numb after being injected by yet another shot of rejection. The neglected manuscript in front of her was nothing short of another reminder that she was a failure.

After several minutes staring into the laptop, Vanessa hopelessly dove her head into the keyboard while gently knocking into it repeatedly. Witnessing Vanessa's crazy antics, her mother, Angela stopped at her bedroom door.

"Hey kiddo! What's busting your head?" Angela said as she laughed hysterically.

"Ha, ha, ha, Mom. Good one." Vanessa replied sarcastically, with her head still mushed into the computer while gesturing a thumbs up.

"That was a good one wasn't it?"

Vanessa finally lifted her head away from her laptop. "I love how you come home from a long day at work just to stand there and laugh at my pain."

"Alright I'm sorry." Angela sat beside Vanessa, holding her arms around her. "So, tell me… What's causing my daughter to go all Hulk on a five hundred-dollar computer?"

Vanessa pulled the laptop closer to them and sighed.

Angela began reading the rejected letter from the publishing editor. Vanessa watched as her mother skimmed the document, feeling as if she was a disappointment. Thinking to herself that the only thing she was good at, was failing at life.

"Oh." It was the only thing could come out of Angela's mouth, but the expression of pity was written all over her face. "Vee, I'm—."

"Sorry that your work didn't get published, you're a talented writer they just fail to see your potential. Don't lose hope…blah…blah blah. I know your routine." Vanessa annoyingly interrupted.

"I am, you are, and please…Please don't lose hope." Angela grabbed her daughter closer, embracing Vanessa in a tight, loving grip.

Vanessa released from her mother's embrace and stood beside the laptop at her desk.

"Mom, don't you notice that we have this kind of conversation a little too much. I'm tired of it, I'm tired of being rejected from left to right, and I'm tired of failing. Maybe you were right the first time I enrolled at ESU. I should have never chosen creative writing as my concentration. Being that I y'know—suck at it and all."

Vanessa slapped the laptop shut.

"You do NOT SUCK at writing. You're a good writer, and you're creative. And I'm not just saying that because I'm your mother. I've always been honest when it came to your work whether its been good or not. Remember the last line of the first poem you ever written?"

"_Love is sweet like lemon and lime. Love is sweet all the time."_ Vanessa nostalgically recited.

"Yeah, who was the one that told you that lemons and limes weren't sweet?"

"Mom, really?"

"Who?"

Vanessa sighed. "You did."

"That's right. It was a cute line and all, but it was devastatingly inaccurate."

"Ouch Mom! I was only eight."

"The point is that being a mother means that you gotta be everything, including a critic. Maybe your work is missing something that I'm not aware of because I'm not a professional editor. But one thing I am sure of is that you, Vanessa Rose Forsyte, do NOT SUCK." Angela laid her hand on Vanessa's shoulder, while giving her an approving wink.

"Mom, I know you think you're helping but I really don't feel that confident in my writing anymore. Maybe getting coffee for John Jonah Jameson is my calling." Vanessa moved away from her mother.

"Baby, I don't think you should lose hop-."

"It's getting late and I need to be up early tomorrow." Vanessa interjected, followed by a phony yawn.

"Well okay, Good night Vee. We WILL talk about this another time though" Angela replied as she made her way to her room down the hall.

"Okay…Good night, Mom."

But Vanessa didn't want to talk about it again. She didn't want to be reminded of her failings, she was officially on the verge of giving up on her dream.

An hour had gone by and Vanessa was still awake. The heavy dose of rejection came with insomnia as its side effect. Vanessa checked the time on her laptop that displayed 12:45 AM.

"Wow. It's after midnight already? I need to get some sleep. Vanessa grabbed her mug from her desk.

"Maybe a nice cup of chamomile tea will do the trick." She made her way into the kitchen downstairs, grabbed the teapot from the counter, filled it with water, and placed it in on the stove above a medium fire.

"What in the hell is this?" Vanessa heard a man ask from outside.

"I don't know dude. I ain't never see anything like it before." Another guy replied.

"Well I'm not tryna figure out. I'm outta here."

Vanessa could hear both guy's footprints running away frantically. She chuckled.

"What a bunch of punks. It's probably just a rat or something." The men's skepticism didn't faze Vanessa, strange, weird activities was the normalcy of New York City.

Vanessa peeked through the perfectly-clear glass window to see what the hype was about, and that's when she saw it. The fog. It wasn't the normal, high precipitation, gray skies fog. It was more of a thick mist. Whatever it was it intrigued her. Unlike the guys who ran from it, for some strange reason, the mist drew Vanessa closer.

Without understanding why, Vanessa placed her palm on the window glass and watched as the mist returned her gesture through the other side. But to her surprise, the fog forced its way through the window. As it got into the kitchen, the mist surrounded Vanessa. She wanted to escape, but her body was craving its essence.

The mist began to build up and Vanessa couldn't move, she was paralyzed by its enchantment and watched the fog create a whirlwind around her. Every other second it would spin faster, and faster; and Vanessa would get dizzier and dizzier. Now overwhelmed by the mist, Vanessa's throat started closing in, she couldn't breathe. Her heart pounding so profusely that she couldn't hear her own thoughts. She attempted to call out to her mother, but she couldn't form any words.

Suddenly the teapot whistled so loud that it caused Vanessa to jump out of her paralysis. As she was catching her breath, she looked around to find that the fog was gone. She went to turn the stove off but felt too weak to fix a cup a tea, too baffled to even care about drinking it.

"What the hell is going on with me?" Vanessa sat at the kitchen table holding her chest, feeling too weak to walk to her bedroom. Feeling overwhelmingly fatigue, Vanessa spontaneously drifted away in the pinewood chair.

Vanessa could hear her alarm going off, but she couldn't open her eyes, they were burning with soreness and as gooey as gorilla snot. Even with suffering with twenty-two years of allergies, she'd never experienced this kind of pain in her eyes before. Vanessa was rubbing her eyes with her knuckles, but it didn't make them feel any better.

"I can't…find…my phone…need…to…ugh...open…my…eyes." The sensation of pain was so overbearing that Vanessa was tripping over her words.

"What….is…happening….to…me…ugh." The alarm continued to ring, and Vanessa was getting frustrated. The noise only aggravated the pain, creating a misfortune of blended calamities.

"MAKE….IT…. STOP!" Vanessa screamed in agony, while holding her eyes in her hands, rocking back in forth.

Suddenly, the alarm went silent and the burning sensation of her eyes had gone away.

"Wait, huh? What just happened?"

As she was finally able to open her eyes, Vanessa realized that she wasn't in her bed, she wasn't any place she had ever seen before. Where ever she was, she was trapped.

"What the hell? Where am I? Mom are you there?" Angela didn't answer.

"I have to be home. I heard the alarm. Was that sleeping gas that some psychopath spread around the city last night? Did I sleep walk into the supply closet?"

Vanessa attempted to knock at what she thought was the closet door, when her fist went straight through what seemed to be some sort of shell. She then started punching her way through it faster and harder, as she was desperate to escape. When she finally made her way out, Vanessa stepped into her kitchen and examined the object she had just broke out of.

"Is that—was I? In a cocoon?" Vanessa pulled her arms over her head in confusion.

"No. No this can't be. I'm…I'm…I'm losing it. I need to think." She starts pacing back in forth from the kitchen and the dining room.

"I need a shower. Yeah, showers help me think. Steam is always good for the soul."

When Vanessa got to the bathroom, the first thing she thought of doing before getting in the shower was to wipe the goo from her eyes. She took a small wash cloth, soaked it with warm water and gently wiped it across her eyes. Already, she could feel her sanity regaining itself.

"You're good Vee, there's nothing wrong with you. You were just—"

As Vanessa looked into the mirror she had saw that her eyes had changed colors. They were no longer almond brown, they were gold.

"No…no…what is happening to me?" Vanessa tried roughly rubbing her eyes, shutting and opening them repeatedly but nothing changed. Her eyes were completely gold.

Vanessa ran back to her room and picked up her phone. She dialed her mother's number, but Angela didn't pick up. Vanessa decided to leave a voicemail.

"Mom you need to come home. Like, now. Something is wrong with me. It's not about the book stuff or anything like that. It's a real emergen—"

An alarming feeling came across Vanessa, and then a knock was at the apartment door.

"I'm sorry Jehovah's witness, but this really isn't a good time."

"Vanessa Forsyte open up. It's urgent." A man's voice said coming from the front door. But to Vanessa it felt closer.

"Who is that? How does he know my name?" As Vanessa was asking the question to herself, her vision had zoomed in all the way to the front door, through the peep hole. She could see the man who was at her door. A bald, handsome, Caucasian man in a fancy gray suit.

"My name is Phil Coulson. I know your name because your mother gave it to me. I'm here to take you to safety."

"Wait you can hear me?"

Vanessa's vision zoomed back down.

"Uh, yes. Yes, I can hear you." Coulson replied. "Now may I come in?"

Vanessa ran up to the front door, and slightly opened it, leaving it only ajar. She peeped her head through the small opening.

"How do you know my mother?" Vanessa asked skeptically.

"We work together."

Vanessa sizes Coulson up, examining his attire.

"You don't look like a social worker."

Coulson chuckled. "That's because I'm not."

"And my mother isn't one either is she?"

"No, she's not. We're agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"So, what do you guys do? Protect and serve Steve Roger's beloved weapon?"

"No. SHIELD stands for Strategic, Intervention, Enforcement, Homeland, and Logistic, Division." Coulson explained to a disinterested Vanessa.

"And…you already knew what it was. You were just being sarcastic."

"Yeah, you're the agency that neutralizes supers after they get out of hand, right?"

"Well that's only half—" Vanessa interrupts. She attempts to force her way through the door until Coulson stops it with his hand.

"Hey." Vanessa yelled.

"Did you really think you could get past me? You're not Jessica Jones you know."

"I've met her once, and I must say that I'm honored that I'm not her."

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I have some questions for the women I call mother."

"Whatever you need to ask her, you can ask me." Coulson reassures her.

"Alright. How did my mother know of my newfound abilities?"

"She woke up to make breakfast and saw the cocoon in the kitchen. She doesn't know how to handle inhuman transitioning, so she sent me."

"To neutralize me?"

"No, to bring you to safety. To protect you. That mist you saw last night was from a terrigen bomb that caused you to go through a process known as Terrigenesis. This formation activated your inhuman abilities, which means that you've had inhuman ancestors somewhere down the line."

"Great, now I'm not just a nerd freak. But one with powers."

"Hey, you're not a freak. I promise that when you come to SHIELD, they'll welcome you with open arms and you'll meet some other Inhumans who uses their powers for good. Something I'm positive that you are going do with your abilities." Coulson puts out his hand to Vanessa's for a handshake.

"Yeah, speaking of abilities. I'm not entirely sure what I can do—"

As Vanessa touches Coulson's hand to return his handshake, suddenly an image of some sort of boat or ship being attacked is right before her eyes as if it was happening there in front of her. She could hear someone calling out for her help from under some rubble. It was him, it was Coulson. She puts her hand out to pull him out, and then she is back at her apartment building.

Once she got back to the current moment, she gasped for air.

"Are you okay Vanessa? What just happened?" Coulson asks worriedly.

"You—" She takes a break to catch her breath. "You better hope I'm not psychic."

_The End_


	2. Understanding

Golden Eye

_Chapter 2: Understanding_

Coulson grabbed Vanessa's arm to help her regain her balance.

"I better hope you're not psychic. What does that even mean?"

"I wish I knew." Vanessa replied, as she slowly stood straight.

"Then what would make you say that?"

"I don't know how to begin to understand what I just experienced, but I think I may have just had a vision."

"Really? What did you see?" Coulson asked curiously.

"I saw you, and me in a different moment than now. But, I could feel my current self in that moment. As if it was happening right in front of my eyes."

"Hmmm…. What were we doing exactly? Were we conversing like we're doing now?"

"Well…. Not exactly." Vanessa said in a way that made Coulson suspect that she was withholding something.

"Hey, Good or bad, I need to know what you saw Vanessa. If you are psychic, maybe we can prevent something bad from happening."

Vanessa looked down on the floor as if she was ashamed to say what she was about to say.

"Or maybe we can't stop it. Maybe it's supposed to happen. Besides, if it's up to me to help, we're predestined to fail."

"Wow. We really need to work on your optimism."

"Okay Coulson, you want to know what I saw? I saw you stuck under some rubble. You tried to crawl your way out, but it was too heavy. You called out to me, but I couldn't help you. You were helpless, and I was useless."

"Damn. Now I really do wish you're not psychic." Coulson said jokingly.

"This isn't funny. I have a new power, and not only do I not know what the hell it is, but clearly I have no control over—"

Before she could finish her sentence, the burning sensation started to possess her eyes again. This time not hurting as much as the last, but it was still unbearable.

"Err, my eyes. They're…. burning, again."

"Again? Here let me take a look."

Coulson slowly removed Vanessa sunglasses from her head, revealing her eyes which were flickering back and fourth from gold to brown.

"Shit."

"I know, weird right?" Vanessa said, blinking.

"Never seen anything like it. But trust me, I've seen weirder."

Coulson pressed the back of his ear.

"Simmons, can you hear me?... We're headed to the Helicarrier now, get the lab ready. I've got a job for you." He looked to Vanessa. "Come on, Simmons is going to take a look at your eyes. If we're lucky, a thorough physical could help us figure out your abilities."

Coulson proceeded to leave the building and Vanessa followed.

"The Helicarrier, it doesn't happen to be a ship is it?"

"The Helicarrier is a flying aircraft and SHIELD's mobile command center. It's like the Intrepid, only more advanced, and much more Bad-Ass."

"So, it's a ship" Vanessa said matter-of-factly.

"I mean, I guess you could call it a ship."

Vanessa covered her eyes with her left hand and sighed.

"That's what I was afraid of."

"Is the Helicarrier where your vision took place?"

"Judging by the way you described it. Yeah, I'm pretty sure of it."

Coulson opened the passenger seat of the SHIELD car door for Vanessa to get in.

"Then I guess we need to pray that you're not a psychic." He slammed the door shut and got into the driver's seat. "Because if you are, our future is doomed."

As they approached the Helicarrier, Vanessa was in awe. She could see that Coulson wasn't overexaggerating its description. Too bad it might be destroyed soon.

"Woah! You weren't kidding. It is Bad-Ass."

"One of the things you need to know about SHIELD is that we never disappoint."

"Good to know." Vanessa shook her head in an approving manner.

"Wait till you see the lab, it has lots of toys." Coulson said excitingly.

"Yeah I'm pretty sure they're not the type to play with."

"Not if you're not careful."

Coulson scanned his iris on an eye scanner located by a large, thick, well-protected, metal door. When they get into the lab, a young, thin, brown-haired woman was sitting at a desk examining something through a telescope.

"You're a very intriguing creature aren't you, symbiote?" The woman said in an English accent.

"Ahem." Coulson cleared his throat to get the woman's attention, but she doesn't pay him any mind.

"Simmons?" He tapped her on her shoulder.

"Oh, Coulson. You're here."

"Yup, and I brought a new friend. Vanessa, meet Jemma Simmons, the best damn bio-chemist any team could ask for. Simmons this is Vanessa, the best-, well we're still trying to figure that out."

Simmons reached out her hand for a handshake, but Vanessa was hesitant.

"I don't think that's a good idea. The last time I shook someone's hand, I also left them with a shook mind."

"It was me, I'm the someone." Coulson said as if he had just been picked to demonstrate a magic trick.

"What does that even mean?"

"Like I said, we're still trying to figure it out. Well you are at least, and I'm sure you will." Coulson pulled his phone from his jacket pocket. "I've got to run, Fury needs me. Vanessa, you're in perfect hands. Simmons, I promise you, you're gonna love this." He left the lab with a bright, cheesy expression on his face.

"So, you've been through Terrigenesis." Simmons turned to Vanessa, who seemed to be a bit nervous.

"That's what I've been to—" Vanessa grabbed her eyes in agony. "Err…. it's back."

"My goodness, are you okay? Here, have a seat." Simmons escorted Vanessa into the desk chair. "Have you been experiencing this pain all day?"

Vanessa hissed in pain.

"On and off. It first started when I was in the cocoon. But it stopped after awhile and didn't hurt again until I saw that vision."

"You had a vision?" Simmons asked shockingly.

"Well at least that's what I think it was. But what I do know is that for a short moment, I was in a time and space that I wasn't currently experiencing."

"Hmmm." Simmons thought for a moment while tapping her index finger on her chin.

"Did something trigger this vision? Like, did you touch anything?"

"Yeah, I touched Coulson's hand and the vision was about him, but I was the one experiencing it."

"So…. Your current self took the place of what seemed to be your future self?"

"Yes, exactly. You make it seem like it's something normal."

"It is for my line of work. It sounds to me like you had a premonition. Is there anything else you've been experiencing with your eyes?"

"Oh yeah, they've been turning gold."

"Oh my gosh! Really? Then why aren't they gold now?"

Vanessa stared huffing and puffing in pain.

"You tell me Doc."

"Hmmm, how is your eyesight?"

"My eyesight is perfect. Actually, more than perfect. I was somehow able to look through the peephole from my bedroom."

"The front door peep hole?"

"Yep."

"Coulson was right. I do love this! I know this is too much from you for one day, but I'm going to need to do a preliminary physical in order to figure out what exactly you can do."

"If it is going to figure everything out, I'm totally up for it."

Simmons grabbed a reflex hammer from an examination table nearby and hit Vanessa's right knee. In doing so, Vanessa's eyes glowed solid gold as she quickly grabbed the hammer without any hesitation.

"Hey, watch it."

"Wow, that was awesome." Simmons said overjoyed. "It looks like your eyes glow gold whenever you're in harm, like a warning of some sort."

"Are you saying that my reflexes are heightened?"

"Precisely. Like a spider sense, except your eyes could be a warning to others around you. You would be a huge asset in the field."

Vanessa looked at the extremely interested Jemma and felt something that she hadn't experienced in a long time, a sense of hope. She knew that with these abilities, she was meant to do something good. Vanessa then realized what she was supposed to be, a hero.

"That's pretty cool. I mean, when they're not hurting and all."

"It is very cool." Simmons replied insistently as she went to grab a few instruments from another table.

"Now I'm going to take a closer look into those pretty eyes of yours."

"Yeah, I guess the gold is kind of appealing."

"It certainly does compliment your brown skin. However, I think your natural brown eyes are nice too."

"Thanks. I don't think anyone had said anything nice like that to me before. Well, besides my Mom."

"I'm sure you're exaggerating a bit." Simmons said as she began to examine Vanessa's golden eyes with a slit lamp.

"In high school I was the black girl who could quote Shakespeare and spent lunch periods in the school library. I wasn't necessary the target for good compliments."

"You're intelligent and unique, those are two of the best qualities that one could acquire."

"Sounds like you received quite a lot of compliments yourself."

"When I came to SHIELD, yes. Before that I was in your shoes. But I've learned that surrounding yourself around people who get and understand you, could help you understand yourself."

"Got that from a fortune cookie?"

Simmons chuckled.

"No silly. Coulson."

"Of course."

Simmons placed the eye instrument back on the table.

"The contents of your eyes appear to be normal. This suggests that they'll eventually stop hurting you once you get use to the change. Though they appear to dilate wider than the average eye."

"That probably has to do with my newfound, abnormally sharp eyesight."

"Speaking of which, I won't waste anytime examining your eyesight on the Snellen chart. From what you told me, I'm pretty sure that you could read it clearly. We're going to take a new approach, and measure how far in the distance you can see by standing outside and counting the blocks that are visible to you."

"And from counting every block that my sight passes, we could calculate the distance. You really are a genius." Vanessa said as she caught on to Simmons' plan.

As the girls were excited about being closer to figuring out Vanessa's abilities, Coulson returned with a short, blonde, curly-haired man wearing a sweater vest over a flannel shirt, and khakis."

"I see we're making a breakthrough." Coulson said while removing the sunglasses from over his eyes.

"We're almost there." Simmons replied.

"Vanessa, I would like to introduce you to Leopold Fitz. He's our go to tech genius."

"And let me guess, you're the best in SHIELD."

"You catch on quick." Coulson said to Vanessa.

Fitz walked up to Vanessa lifting his glasses over his green eyes.

"Wow, Coulson you weren't kidding. Her eyes really are gold."

"Still?" Vanessa asked, surprised.

"I may have slipped in a solution to keep them dilated a little longer."

"Really? I didn't feel it."

"Not with those super eyes you didn't." Coulson said.

"They are truly fascinating." Fitz walked to Vanessa still staring into her golden eyes.

"I'm kind of getting a weird vibe from you man. Not exactly ideal for a first impression."

Simmons, who appeared to be uncomfortable with Fitz odd behavior, grabbed him by the arm, aggressively pulling him away from Vanessa.

"You can't stare at a woman like that, especially one whom you've just met. If you had gotten a tad bit closer, she may have kicked you in the trousers."

"I'm sorry Vanessa, that was weird." Fitz apologized confusingly.

"It's cool. Gold, glowy eyes is something that one has to get accustomed to. Especially me."

"Yeah but Fitz was being a bit extra don't you think?"

"So I was a tad bit intrigued, you don't have to bite my head off about it."

"Ugh, A tad bit?"

Fitz and Simmons started bickering, and Vanessa turned to look for Coulson who was walking around the lab playing with different types of instruments. Vanessa then felt a strange feeling and headed back towards Fitz and Simmons who were still arguing.

"Simmons, something's up—"

The sound of glass crashing interrupted Vanessa, she then turned to see that a small bleaker fell from a table that Coulson was standing next to.

The room went silent as Fitz and Simmons stopped arguing.

"Oh no." Simmons said worried.

"Coulson, whatever you do. Don't move." Fitz said in a slow, cautious tone.

"What? It's just glass, you don't have to be so—"

Coulson began to swallow his words as some strange, black goo began to engulf his entire body, except his head.

"H-He-Help m—"

Coulson tried to fight the stuff off, but it was too strong. The others couldn't do anything but watch as he was being possessed by the symbiote.

Vanessa gulped.

"That's the symbiote you were test—"

"Yup." Simmons interrupted, knowing the question Vanessa was asking.

"And it's Venom, isn't it?"

"Yup." Simmons was in too much shock to say anything else.

"What are we going to do? We need to get Coulson back." Vanessa asked worriedly.

The venomized Coulson screeched hungrily, revealing his wavery, long, red tongue.

"We can't approach him. He's not Coulson as of now. He'll kill us if we tried." Simmons explained to Vanessa in terror.

"Not if I could help it." Fitz went into his messenger bag and reached for his taser. Before he could get it out completely, Venom jumped in front of him from across the room and slapped him to the ground with great force, as he knocked the taser across the room. Too far for Simmons and Vanessa to get to before Venom would notice.

"No, Fitz." Simmons called out to him. But he couldn't reply, he was unconscious.


	3. Vanem

Golden Eye

Chapter 3: _Vanem_

Simmons began to check on Fitz but the Venomized Coulson charged towards her. That's when Vanessa dived to Simmons with no hesitation moving her out of Venom's vicious path.

"What were you thinking? He could have planted you into the ground." Vanessa asked Simmons worriedly.

"I was going to Fitz's aid. We really should wake him."

"Well from what I've read about these symbiotes, they seek prey in strong, vigorous species. I'm pretty sure he's safer unconscious."

"Thank you for brightening up the mood." Simmons replied sarcastically.

"Let's not waste our times debating, we need to get Fitz out of the that giant ink blob. You know what his weakness is right?"

Simmons sighed.

"Fitz reached for the taser because an electric surge can cause the symbiote to break from its host."

"Okay, so you distract Venom while I grab the taser from the other side."

"Except the taser isn't a big enough energy surge, it's only a temporary fix. Not enough time to weaken him enough to capture the symbiote."

The symbiote began to get frustrated and screamed violently. He leapt towards the two girls who were now standing by the exit. This time he began to speak.

"You tried to exxxperiment on me. You owe me for that." He hissed at Simmons. "Guesss desssert is on you." He slithered his slobbery, long, wavy tongue in her face.

Simmons closed her eyes in disgust.

"Hey! Alien, Spider-man wannabe." Venom turned to look at Vanessa. "Leave her alone." Vanessa continued

Venom smirked, displaying his yellow, sharp teeth.

"You sssmell even more delicious. Perhapsss I make you the main courssse." Venom laughed diabolically, and then began to open his mouth wide.

Both girls grabbed each other in a friendly embrace and prepared to face their vicious fate. That was until the lab door swung open aggressively and Venom was thrown across the room.

"Err, what just happened?" Vanessa asked confused.

Daisy Johnson walked into the lab nonchalantly.

"I heard complaints about there being a bug problem." Daisy said.

"Quake happened." Simmons answered with a grateful smile.

"Thanks for the extermination Quake."

"My name is Daisy. You must be Vanessa."

"Well thank you, Daisy."

"Wait. Daisy, how did you know that Venom was released?"

"I didn't. I just wanted to make my entrance with a cool quip."

"It was pretty cool." Vanessa assured Daisy.

"Thanks I—"

The girls were interrupted by the whimpering of someone in pain.

"H-h-help me-e—e" Coulson's head was revealed as his body was trying to fight its way out of the symbiote's possession.

"We need to get him out of there." Simmons said frantically.

"No problem." Daisy began to put her hands up.

"Wait, I thought we needed an electrical surge to get the symbiote to separate from Coulson." Vanessa asked, stopping Daisy from quaking the symbiotic beast.

"Sound waves and increased vibration are also Venom's weaknesses. If used a few more times, Daisy's abilities can scare the symbiote out."

Coulson screamed aggressively in pain but was no match for the symbiote. His face had again been taken over by the symbiote.

"You belong to me nowww. We're a paccckaged deal." Venom said as if he opened a brand-new action figure.

"Too bad I'm about to return to sender." Daisy replied.

Venom screeched, waking Fitz from his unconscious state.

"Gosh Jemma, you're still yelling?" Fitz asked exhaustingly.

"Even in your state of vulnerability, you still find the time to be an ass."

Fitz realized that Venom was running towards him, and Vanessa ran to his aid. When she realized that Fitz was safe on the other side of the room, Daisy proceeded to use her abilities on Venom.

"No, you're gonna hurt Coulson." Vanessa screamed, as she ran in front of Venom, and Daisy's quake while blocking her face with her arms in what seemed to be a hopeless defense.

"Vanessa why would you—" Daisy tried to get the question out until her quake was sent back in her direction, sending her flying into the lab tables behind her.

Fitz and Simmons ran to check on Daisy and helped lift her back up on her feet.

"Oh no, what did I just do?" Vanessa asked afraid.

"So that's what it feels like to getting a taste of my own medicine." Daisy said while brushing debris off her SHIELD uniform.

"Are you okay?" Fitz asks.

"Yeah. I'd say the dose was just a little too high though."

A coughing noise was coming from behind Vanessa, but she couldn't see anything because the lab was destroyed. There was nothing behind her but parts of the floor and broken lab equipment.

"H-h-help me-e—e." Coulson was crying for help again.

"It's Coulson. Help me get to him" Vanessa asked hopelessly.

"What if he's still an alien bug man?" Fitz asked.

"Then bring the can of raid over with you." Vanessa replied.

"She seems sweet." Fitz said sarcastically.

They all run over to the rubble looking for Coulson.

"Hey, I found him." Simmons tried removing a lab cabinet, but it was stuck.

"I'll take this from here." Daisy used her abilities to lightly shake the cabinet out of the ground.

Fitz and Simmons removed the cabinet, as Vanessa ran to lift Coulson from under it.

"Coulson. Are you okay?" Vanessa asked Coulson, whose suit was now just as ripped up as the Hulk's purple pants.

"Yeah I'm fine. Aside from the fact that I have a craving for a raw turkey."

"Sounds delicious" Daisy said.

Everyone began to laugh except Vanessa. The moment felt very familiar to her as she begun to realize that it was what she saw in her vision. Only the vision had some missing people, her new friends. Vanessa began to realize that as long as she had these new people in her life, she had all the hope she needed. Vanessa started laughing aloud, much harder and louder than the others.

"Is she high?" Coulson asked.

"In fact, I am high Coulson. High on excitement."

"Um, may I ask why?" Simmons asked as if she didn't actually want to know the answer.

"Because I thought that my premonition was full of sorrow and doom. When in reality, it actually showed me the positive outcome of the situation." Vanessa explained.

"Hey, you get visions? No fair." Daisy said in the tone of a spoiled five-year-old.

"Well don't put your hopes up just yet. We don't know where the symbiote went" Fitz added, killing the mood.

"Thanks for enlightening us Fitz" Simmons said.

"We'll find it. I have faith in us." Vanessa said smiling. Meanwhile the symbiote was crawling its way up her body.

"Found it," Simmons gulped.

"Really where is—" Vanessa attempted to get the words out until the symbiote engulfed her body entirely. Within seconds, Vanessa was a black symbiote with golden eyes, and a golden bug on her chest.

"Now I am Vennnom." The golden-eyed symbiote roared bumping its chest.

"So, did anyone bother to bring over that can of Raid?" Daisy asked in a jokey, yet serious manner.

"Don't sspray me with that stuffff. I'm allergic to the sssmell." The symbiote interjected.

"Am I hearing things? Or did Venom just say that he's allergic to bug spray?" Coulson asked.

"No Coulson, you're not BUGGING. Get it?" Simmons said laughing while everyone else looked at her with blank faces.

"We'll work on it Ssssimons." The symbiote added.

"Seriously what's going on?"

"It'sss me, Vanesssa. I am Vanom." Everyone laughed this time, except Simmons.

"Oh come on, really?" Simmons asked.

"How the hell do you have control over it?" Coulson asked curiously.

"I don't know. But it looksss good on me. No offenssse Coulson, but black is not your color."

"I'm not at all insulted."

"Oh my gosh." Simmons said as if she had just discovered something.

"What is it Jemma?" Fitz asked worriedly.

"Vanessa was able to counter Daisy's abilities, that's how Daisy was flown across the room." Simmons answered.

"I wouldn't say I was flown per say."

"Flown, flung, threw whatever. Either way, somehow Vanessa's psychic abilities allowed her to reflect your quakes back to you." Simmons continued.

"I mean it was more of a nudge but whatever." Daisy tried to reassure them.

"So, what you are saying is that she is countering the symbiote's infection through reflection." Fitz added as he began to be in sync with Simmons' brainstorming.

"Are we rhyming now?" Coulson interrupted.

"Either that or she is using some sort of psychic connection to reverse its dominance."

"Great, more nerd talk that I can't be a part of" Daisy said.

"Then I guess the question is, did the symbiote choose her? Or did Vanessa choose it?"

"Being that she was pretty surprised that the symbiote was slithering up her legs. I'm guessing she didn't send it an invitation to her body party." Coulson added.

"Coulson's right. Vanessa has to be reversing the symbiote's possession with psychic energy." Simmons concluded.

"Wait, where is Venomsa anyway?"

"You mean Vanem." Fitz corrected Daisy.

"Whatever, she's gone dude."

The gang looked around to see that Vanessa wasn't in the room. They heard screaming coming from outside of the lab and they all ran out of room at once. When they got in the hallways, they saw SHIELD agents and scientists running all around in panic.

"Which way did it go?" Coulson asked one of the bystanders.

"To the East wing." The man answered pointing frantically.

"Thanks, get everyone to safety."

"Got it boss." The man ran off, rescuing other agents while he ran down the hall.

"Safety? But she's not hurting anyone." Simmons said.

"Not that we know of. I saw first-hand what that thing is capable of." Coulson replied.

"Either way, I won't be of much help. She'll just reflect my quakes, taking the entire Helicarrier down. We need a plan." Daisy added.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. First, we have to find it" Coulson said.

"Get away from me you big, ugly beetle." A woman screamed out.

Coulson and the gang followed the voice and stopped to see the symbiotic Vanessa trying to embrace Angela.

"Oh look, you found Mommy." Coulson said trying to catch his breath.

"Mommy?" Angela asked.

"Um, funny story. Vanessa and I was in the lab and Coulson drop—" Simmons tried to explain

"Oh my gosh! That's Vanessa isn't it?" Angela interrupted.

"Long story short, Yes" Fitz answered.

"Does she have some sort of control over it? Like Flash Thompson?" Angela asked

"Kind of, except the symbiote doesn't purposely allow her to take over as host. It can't help but to. Her psychic, reflective abilities are stronger than he is."

"We think." Fitz added condescendingly.

"It seems evident don't you think?"

"Um, Vanem is hissing at your fish tank" Daisy warned them.

"So, we can fix this, right?" Angela asked.

"If she allows Venom to take over for a little bit, and then use her abilities to reflect his. Than yes, I'm positive that she could get out of it." Simmons answered, feeling sure of herself.

"I don't know. I'm kind of fffeeling the whole carelessss, wrecking vibe." Vanem added, while trying to snatch a school of clown fish with her bare, symbiotic hands.

"What about keeping those teeth? Are you feeling those?" Angela asked.

"Okay, time to go baccck."

Vanem sat in the corner of the room and closed her eyes. Fitz grabbed a beaker from his messenger bag, waiting for the symbiote to be released from Vanessa's body.

"Alright Venom, you win." Vanessa opened her arms wide standing in a surrendering gesture.

After a minute or so, the symbiote turned black and white and Venom began to takeover the host, but Vanessa somehow countered his possession, making the symbiote dissolve. Fitz ran to collect the symbiote pieces, successfully sealing them in the beaker.

"The symbiotic genie is back in its bottle" Fitz teased.

The breathless Vanessa sat relaxed in the corner next to the now empty fish tank. Angela ran up to her and gave Vanessa a hug.

"I'm so glad you're back to normal. I was a few seconds away from disowning you." Angela said.

"I don't blame you." Vanessa added.

"Really? Because you seem to have been enjoying being a crazed alien predator." Fitz interjected.

"Okay, the thrill of throwing things and breaking walls did relieve a little stress from my life. Now I know why Hulk loves to smash." Vanessa replied.

"Angela, what happened to your fish?" Coulson asked, tapping the empty tank.

Vanessa burped.

"I think Venom took that school out of session." Vanessa answered.

Everyone in the room laughed.

"I'm convinced that you all hate me." Simmons said with jealousy.

"Hey, If it makes you feel better. I'd take the smartest person in the room over the funniest anytime." Vanessa said, cheering Simmons up"

"Nope, it's me they hate." Fitz said folding his arms.

"Oh, come on Fitz, you'll get over it" Daisy said, tapping Fitz's shoulder.

"Okay gang, we need to get everyone else back on the Helicarrier and get back to work. But before we do that, I need to know that everyone is on board for our next mission. Which involves getting the new Inhumans off the streets before something happens to them, or anyone else who could be in danger."

"Yes Sir." Everyone in the room, but Vanessa replied.

"I mean everyone." Coulson said, looking to Vanessa for approval.

"Including me?" Vanessa asked unsure, pointing at her chest.

Coulson nodded.

"I'm officially making you a part of the team. I mean if you wan—"

"Yes, yes, a zillion-times yes."

The gang applauded, Each of them welcoming Vanessa to the team.

"Welcome Vanessa, you're officially an agent of SHIELD." Coulson shook Vanessa's hand.

Everyone started hugging Vanessa, but Angela sat at her desk, slouching. She watched as Vanessa's most recent dream was coming true, but for her, it was the beginning of her worst nightmare becoming a reality.


	4. Nightmares & Memories

Golden Eye-Chapter 4: Nightmares & Memories

_**A Message from the Writer**_**: **Hello readers! From now on, _Golden Eye_ is going to be written in the first-person narrative. With Vanessa being both a writer and a recently-learned psychic, I figured that it would be interesting to see how she perceives the world, and her adventures with fellow heroes primarily though her golden lens. I hope that you've enjoyed this journey with Vanessa so far, and that you continue to support _Golden Eye _through its early creative process.

Excelsior,

Tahirah Greene

_After Midnight: About 2:19 AM – Location Unknown _

In a cold, bright, white endless hall, I catch myself running frantically from something that I can't see. You would think that someone with my advanced, visual abilities would be able to see anything. I mean, I did just previously discover that I can see through darkness, and stone-brick walls. But for some reason, this thing, this place (whatever the hell they are), are completely undetectable.

I've tried using my zooming eyesight to see if there were any other forms of life ahead, but there was nothing. Just us, it and me.

I feel like I've been running for hours, months, years, decades. But it seems as if measurement of time does not apply here. Everything is infinite, there is no end, no way out. So, what is the point of running, when there will never be a finish line or a crowd of my biggest fans waiting for me to cross.

And so, I stop, panting, waiting for it to find me as I catch my breath. As it approaches, I can feel its presence. I allow it to come closer because it is clear that I can't win this slaughtering battle. I wait for it to consume me, but its touch isn't foreign, it's homely.

What is this entity? It isn't like the mist, it doesn't feel new. The more it embraces me, the more I realize that we have had this encounter before. As it is holding me, I begin to focus on it, turning on the golden illumination at yet another attempt to uncover its true form.

Suddenly, it begins to slowly form its shape and I could hear it whispering, calling out for me.

"_Vanessa…. Vanessa…Vanessa…"_

"VANESSA!"

I jump up, out of the bed to Simmons's screechy, British alarm clock; her screaming voice.

"Ugh, how is it that you're so polite, yet terrifyingly loud?"

"It's a necessary skill for the job." She replies flattered. "Speaking of which. Are you ready for more SHIELD training?"

I sigh, unsure of what to say. This past week of training has been Hell for me. The funny thing is that the first week was awesome, I learned everything quickly. Because of my advanced eyesight, I discovered that I could snipe without a scope. I thought I was ready for this whole "becoming a hero" thing, but since the nightmares started, I've lost focus. I began to doubt myself again. I don't want to experience this feeling of defeat, but I keep letting myself by failing.

"Yeah so, about today's training…I think I'm gonna sit this one out."

"But you can't. You're doing so well."

"Jemma, in my line of work, I've learned that words like "well" are not compliments."

"What? That sounds crazy. But, that's the kind of behavior I expect from a writer." Simmons says nonchalantly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask skeptically.

"You're a perfectionist. You set yourself up to unrealistic expectations."

"I—I do not do that." I reply hesitantly. I know that she is right, to a certain extent. Okay, maybe to a full extent.

"You're stumbling on your words because you know I'm right. You were enthusiastic to learn the ropes at first. Scared, but determined. And now you're allowing this little hiccup to choke you."

"Except this doesn't feel like a small hiccup choking me, Simmons. This feels much bigger, and I don't feel choked. I feel like I'm being strangled. Forced to live in a place within myself that I don't even understand."

Simmons sighs.

"This is about the nightmares isn't it? They're affecting your abilities, your self-control."

"Yeah well, ironically, self-reflection is not my strong suit."

Simmons chuckles. I can tell that It's one of those "Yeah, that totally sucks but I'll humor you anyway" kind of laughs. I just know that she's about to say some kind of cheesy joke at an attempt to try and lighten up the mood. It's a required Shield skill set taught by Coulson.

"You know, when I discovered that your powers stimulate not just your eyes, but your entire central nervous system, I thought…How awesome is that? You're actually prone to a nervous breakdown."

We both laugh hysterically for a good two minutes. That's when I realize that this isn't a joke. My powers are affected by my mental state. If I don't figure out what's going on with me and get my shit together, then my loose screws will cause my new world to come crashing down on me.

I gasp.

"Seriously though, I need to figure whatever this is out. If I don't, it'll drive me crazy. Or mad, as you Brits would say."

"I should stop you. They would want me to." Simmons says with her head down.

"But you're not going to. Why?" I ask skeptically.

"Because I know you need to do this, for you. And I know just the right person who can train you to get rid of that mental tension of yours."

"Please don't tell me it's The Hulk. His definition of anger-management is smashing precious porcelain. I still owe Coulson a limited-edition Captain America fan mug by the way."

"Why do you have to buy the mug back? You're not the one who actually broke it."

"Because puny goldie-eyes make Hulk scream owie." I say imitating Hulk.

Jemma laughs.

"What did you do to him?"

"I pinched him to see if his skin would bump up like a pickle."

"And did it work?"

"I couldn't really grasp it, but it's good to know that I could hurt the Hulk."

"You're only enjoying this because he can hardly catch you."

I begin to laugh hysterically.

"You have to admit, seeing the big guy running in a confusing rage is classic. This is so going to be our thing for now on."

"Yeah, good luck with that. Anyway, your guest for today is not going to be The Hulk." Simmons says while texting excessively.

"Is it Hawkeye? I love how he cries when I dodge his arrows. It must be painful for him to miss."

"Yeah I bet," Simmons replies ignoring me.

"Great, he can make it. We're all set for today's training." She puts her phone in her back pocket.

My eyes begin to glow as a thrust of gusty wind startles us. Only I can see Yoyo approaching us. Although she moves at a rapid pace, I could see her in a perfect, clear vision, which seems like slow motion to me.

"Hey Yoyo!" I greet her before she can be seen in the average sight."

"Hey V. Ladies, let's go. It's time for training." Yoyo says, clapping. She then leaves suddenly.

"I envy that you can see her when she's running. I still get startled every time."

"That's because I've got the Midas sight." I say, pointing to my eyes.

"Ha. Yeah, okay."

_Moments later – Helicarrier Training Room_

Simmons and I enter the training room to see Yoyo, and the Calvary herself, Melinda May, waiting for us.

"You're late." Yoyo says, while looking at an imaginary watch. Although, it might be a watch that has stealth tech activated. I mean, we are dealing with SHIELD here.

"You literally just summoned us five seconds ago," I say.

"Five seconds too many," May says in a serious manner.

I would ask Simmons if they were really serious, but that would be a waste of another five seconds.

"And you say that I have unrealistic expectations," I whisper to Simmons, whose face expression doesn't seem to match my humor.

"They're only trying to help you," Simmons replied.

"Yeah, what happened to you? In your first few weeks of training you learned everything quickly. Hacking, shooting…." Yoyo says

"Hand to hand combat," May interrupts.

"That's only because of my increased brain metabolism. I learn things faster now. It's my abilities, not me."

"Your abilities are a part of you Vanessa, until you learn that, you'll never learn nothing," Yoyo says in a devastatingly-motivating tone.

"So, you're saying that I'll still learn something whether I take your advice or not."

"No, I'm saying you won't learn anything if you don't take my advice," Yoyo replies to me annoyed.

"I'm sorry. I was confused by your use of the double negative."

"You're impossible," May says with her arms folded toughly, as they always are.

"Well May, then I guess that makes us two of a kind."

May smirks impressively. I can't believe I just made Melinda May almost smile. Now I'm convinced that I'm making progress again.

"Okay, you want me to embrace my abilities and improve my confidence, then that's what I'm going to do." I begin clapping in excitement, "I'm motivated now, I'm ready, let's train."

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" May asks as if this would be my first-time training with the big guns.

"Of course, I am. I'm psyched, so to speak."

"Alright then, we'll be going now," Yoyo says abruptly.

"Woah, woah, woah. Where do you two think you're going?"

"You don't need us for this one, we'd only be in your way," May replies.

"May, but don't you want to see me walk the dog on Yoyo?"

"As cool and imaginative as that sounds, I think I'll pass."

"How cute of you to think that that could happen," Yoyo says. She reaches to pinch my cheek, but I swat her arm away faster than she can run. Okay, maybe not that fast, but fast enough.

"Wait, what kind of training would get you two to ditch a lesson?"

"Yoga," a voice answers from near the doorway.

I turn around to match the face to the voice and see Simmons walking in with the lime green man himself, Iron Fist.

"Please tell me you said yogurt," I say, knowing that it is a statement of false hope.

"Yogurt? What sense would that make?" Iron Fist asks skeptically.

"It was a joke, you know, meant to be funny."

"Ah humor. It can either cleanse the soul or be a means to distract it."

Iron Fist starts laying out three yoga mats on the training room floor. I turn to look back at May and Yoyo but they're nowhere to be found. They set me up. In their defense though, I can't imagine seeing either one of them doing Yoga any more than I can myself. It's too human-like.

"Hmm, I wonder which way you're using it, Vanessa" Simmons says coyly.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?" I ask her.

"Very much so." She replies.

"Simmons told me about your mental issues," Iron Fist says.

"You make is seem as if I'm schizo or something."

"Give it some time, you'll get there," Simmons says reassuringly.

Iron Fist grabs my hand and guides me onto a green, seaweed, sushi-wrap looking mat. Simmons follows and begins to position herself on the map next to mine.

"In order to free your mind, you must search your inner soul and find your Chi." Iron fist says, as he grabs my hips and motions my body into some sort of Yoga position that Simmons is doing.

"Look, I don't know what fortune cookie you're getting this crap from, but I'm pretty sure that touching me like this isn't going to help me find my chia seeds. You have to at least take me to dinner first."

Iron Fist chuckles lightly.

"You're laughing, but I've suddenly developed a taste for shrimp lo-mein."

"I'll tell you what. You make some progress with cleansing your mind and finding your CHI, and then we can go out to my favorite spot in China Town, my treat."

"You drive a hard bargain Iron Fist, but lucky for you, I'm famished. Now, show me how to find my chai tea."

"It's CHI." Simmons says annoyed.

"Whatever."

I watch as Simmons and Iron Fist get back into what seems to be a tree position. I could feel my eyes lighten up as I study their movement. I then attempt to get into the position, and I do so flawlessly. I can learn anything just by observing for a few seconds, as long as I focus and show interest.

"Now, Vanessa. I want you to think about that ongoing dream you've been having," Iron Fist says in an annoying, Guru-hippy toned voice.

"Being that the nightmare has been the only thing on my mind for this past week, this first task is a doozy. Right Simmons?"

All of a sudden, I hear snoring coming from beside me. Apparently, the yoga mat is Simmons' ambient.

"Okay, good. Now, focus your mind on the setting. What do you see?"

"Emptiness," I reply worriedly, as if I've never seen this soulless, quiet, white room before. As if I've never experienced the feeling of emptiness throughout this lifetime.

"Then you are not focusing hard enough, Vanessa. I don't want to put any pressure on you but if you want to find answers you have search your mind for them. You can't expect to find the treasure without looking beyond the surface of the sea"

"Look here Zohan, I want to find my chimichanga just as much as anyone else. But this is as far as I could get in this dream scape. A room full of eggshell-painted, padded walls, and an overwhelming, unfamiliar voice calling my name"

"So, there's a voice. Then maybe you should follow it, figure out who is speaking to you."

"How can I do that if I can't visualize anything. In this dream world, I'm basically powerless."

"Then don't rely on your powers. You're a writer, right? Use your imagination."

"Well what didn't Simmons tell you about me?" I gasp, "Do you happen to know where I hid that fruit by the foot last week. I've been craving it like crazy."

"You're using humor again to escape your problems, when you should be running towards them."

"Don't you think it's weird that we're talking with our eyes closed while Simmons is napping in the background? We're so rude," I say as if I'm ignoring Iron Fist, in which I am.

"Vanessa!" Iron Fist calls out to me impatiently and aggressively. I have to admit, I like him better this way. Maybe I should rattle his snake more often.

"Sheesh! Patience Master Sensei, grasshopper."

Getting back into the focused state, I begin to re-visualize the white-schemed nightmare. This time, I'm taking Fist's advice. I'm imagining that its true nature has color, and that I'm not alone. When I start to feel like I'm physically there, the place seems different. It's still white, I'm still afraid, but I don't feel as if I'm alone. I feel frightened, yet comfortable. Once again, I feel homely.

I hear a voice, different than the one before. This time it's a man speaking and unlike the screeching voice before. He has a foreign accent, African maybe, and his tone is sincere, yet vaguely familiar.

"You have to come out now, Vanessa. I assure you, this is for your own good. There will be no more monsters, and no more nightmares. I promise."

I am closer to him than I thought I was. Like I said before, the rules of time don't apply here. I approach the man and as we come face to face, I notice that his eyes are a replica of my natural, bronze irises. Not just the same exact color, but the same shape.

I do nothing in the moment but stare at him, but his attention is somewhere else. It seems as if I was in the way of something or someone more important. I don't think that he can see me, but then why would he call me over?

"Vanessa, It's alright, Sweetie. I won't bite." Said the screeching voice as the sudden image of a middle-aged, dark-skinned woman mysteriously appears.

I may be over-exaggerating with here tone of voice a bit, but no matter how they sound, echoed dream voices are creepy.

The woman reaches her hands out and then a young, brown-skinned girl startles me from behind as she shyly reaches for the woman's hand. She couldn't have been no longer than five or six. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that this child is me or was me.

I realize now that this isn't a nightmare, it's a memory. What are my powers trying to tell me? And why don't I have any recollections of this moment, or these people?

Mini-me grabs the woman's hand, and the lady embraces her, me. This is way too complicated.

"Now, baby. Let Grandma fix it for you."

"_Grandma?"_ I whisper to myself, confused.

My estranged grandmother places her hands on the sides of Mini-me's head while closing her eyes as if she's about to say a prayer. Little Vanessa looks back at the man who is watching from the sidelines. He nods his head reassuringly and the young girl places her hands on her, our grandmother's. Little Vee then puts her head up and her irises brighten up into a solid-gold.

I can't help but feel shocked, astonished. Is this real? Had I inhabited my powers before?

The woman continues to hold Mini-Vee's head.

"Vanessa, sweetie. I need you to forget your powers, forget the nightmares, the glowing eyes, and forget this moment," The grandmother says in a sad, regretful tone.

Young Vanessa begins to scream in agony, and suddenly I find myself gasping for air as if I've just drowned in a pool full of frozen sorrows. I am feeling the little one's pain until I'm suddenly back in the SHIELD training room.

"Vanessa, what happened? Your eyes are Golder than usual." Simmons jumps as my trip back to the present moment scares her awake.

"She confronted her demons and channeled her inner chi. So, Vanessa, what did you see?" Iron Fist says in his ancient Chinese monologue voice.

I want to make fun at the fact that he just made a lame, rhyming proverb but I can't help but try to catch my breath as I am still in total shock.

"That my life is a total lie."

_The End_


	5. Overpowered

Golden Eye

Chapter 5: Overpowered

_Noon-Shield Helicarrier Training Room_

"Your life is a lie, what do you mean by that?" Simmons asks concerned.

I'm still panting, breathless. Who wouldn't be concerned?

"It means exactly how it sounds? The nightmares were my erased memories haunting me. Forcing to restore themselves. Everything I've been told, everything that I thought I knew about myself is false."

The words are coming out in a heavy force, I am trying to hold back my anger. I've never experienced this much rage; its intensity is overwhelming. As it possesses me, I can feel my eyes getting brighter.

"What is happening to her?" Iron Fist asks, worried.

"Her eyes work as sensors to her impulses. Our biggest reflexes are triggered by our emotions, right? So once Vanessa experiences any form of passion, her senses react to their intensity." Simmons replies.

"So, yoga wouldn't be helpful right about now?"

Simmons replies by nodding her head no.

"Vanessa, what exactly did you see?"

I place my hands on my head in disbelief as I sit down on one of the yoga mats, hoping to relax. My eyes are suddenly back to their natural, brown state. Now that I am calm, I can tell them what I envisioned.

"I saw my young self, maybe six or seven, and my eyes were gold. I had my powers then, Simmons. I don't know how that's possible when I've just been through Terrigenesis, but I had them. I saw them with my own little golden eyes."

"I've heard about cases of premature Terrigenesis, but I'm not sure how you could have lost your abilities and be able to go through the process all over again."

I chuckle sarcastically.

"That's right, I haven't told you the good part. So, I'm in this white room with my estranged father, and a woman whom appears to be my grandmother and—"

"A family reunion. That does appear to be something good out of your journey of discovery." Iron fist says optimistically.

"And like all black family reunions, a dramatic turn of event occurred. Everything went strangely awry. The woman, my alleged grandmother, had somehow erased the memories of my powers."

"Wow, that is strangely dramatic." Iron fist says frighteningly intrigued.

"But are you sure that this is a memory, and not your mind playing tricks on you? I mean that is a side effect of inhabiting psychic abilities."

"I know, but this—this time it felt less like some horrible fantasy, and more like a painful memory. I felt the difference when I came back to the present. I felt it Simmons, I felt young Vanessa's pain. I felt her suffering."

"This is my fault. I should have never encouraged you to see this through. We should have left this alone."

"And what? Let me continue to live a lie, being haunted by the demons of my forgotten past? Despite the toll it has on me right now, I'm glad that to have learned the truth. Thank you, Iron Fist, for helping me to find my inner chickpea."

"It's—never mind," he gives up on correcting my false incompetence.

"So, what now, you're going to confront your mother? Are you prepared for that?" Simmons asks.

"I don't know, I need to just—I need to think, okay"

I fold my hands, close my eyes, and place my head down in frustration.

"Unlike you two, I'm not use to this kind of—"

"Uh, Vanessa?" Iron Fist says pointing at me, as if there were a bug on my shoulder

"WHAT?" I yell impatiently, forcing my irises to come back to gold.

"Your hands." Simmons says intrigued.

I notice that my hands, which are still folded, are glowing the same way as my eyes do. I open them and a bright, golden orb rests on the palm of my right hand.

I gasp in excitement.

"What is happening?"

"How many times are you going to ask that today?" Simmons asks, annoyed.

"If stuff like this keeps happening, all day." Iron Fist replies.

"Simmons, how am I doing this?"

"I don't know, but it is beautiful," She replies as if she is enchanted.

"Go ahead and make a fist, see what happens," Iron Fist suggests while punching his hands together.

I make a fist and the light fades out.

"It's gone," I say as if I've just dropped my mocha iced latte.

"Aw man, that's too bad. I was looking forward to appointing you as the Immortal Golden Fist. Such a disappointing missed opportunity"

"That's interesting, your eyes went out too. It seems as if the orb is triggered by your emotional reflexes. My initial theory about how your powers operate was wrong."

"Wait, what do you mean? What's your new theory?"

"Hold on," Simmons presses on her earpiece. "Hey Fitz, do you think that you can bring an energy reader to the training room—Okay thanks, see you soon." She hangs up and smiles as if she just got asked to the prom by her high school crush.

"An energy reader? Didn't you guys already use one to check the frequency of my eyes?" I ask.

"Yes, and when we did, we noticed that the energy reader was inconsistent. While we were able to determine that your eyes illuminated from electromagnetic energy, which is the reason for your advanced vision, we couldn't determine where that energy was coming from."

"So, my eyes are not the primary sources of my powers?"

"Exactly. I wasn't sure before but because the energy are now coming from your hands, I'm guessing that the power source are your nerves; they're somehow triggering your sense of vision and touch. Therefore, allowing your eyes and hands to release electromagnetic energy"

"I am sensing that you are not sure of this theory of yours," Iron Fist says rubbing his chin simultaneously.

"Yeah, no shit. It's just a theory" I reply, annoyed.

"Your language suggests that you are impatient by me. I understand your concern, for I have no reason to speak on a subject I know nothing about. I apologize to both of you for my impotence."

"Thank you Mr. Fist" Simmons replies

"Apologies accepted Sir Master Splentor?" I reply, bowing.

Fitz runs into the room out of breath, gasping for air as if he were running from Dracula.

"One…Energy reader….for….M'lady Simmons," he says catching his breath.

"Thank you Leopold" Simmons says grabbing the equipment.

"Leopold?" I ask disgusted. I'm not sure if I'm more grossed out by his name or this completely oblivious, budding romance between he and Simmons.

Simmons grabs the scientific instrument and powers it up, forcing it to beep excessively.

"That's strange, it wasn't doing that before. Something must be causing it to override." Fitz says.

"Technically that something is actually someone, and that someone is me." I say.

"Oh." Fitz says nervously "That's new."

Simmons places her reading glasses over her eyes.

"It's reading the same energy as before only the frequencies are much stronger. Vanessa, come with me." Simmons signals for me to follow her to an examination bed across the room. She

"It appears as if your eyes works as generators. You see, generators don't create electricity; they convert chemical or mechanical energy into electrical energy. This is done when they capture power of motion and turn it into electrical energy by forcing electrons from an external source and through an electrical circuit"

"So her eyes generate the motion of the electromagnetic energy within her body. Hence the infrared vision" Fitz says while being perfectly in sync with Simmons as always.

"And the eyes generates the orbs that releases through her hands." Simmons finishes.

"Wait, her hands produces electromagnetic energy too?"

"Yes, but the question is; where does the original source of the energy coming from?"

"My cells" I whisper lightly, while remembering something I learned in Physics class. I'm surprised because I thought those lessons were too painful to remember. I didn't do too well in any of my math and science courses.

"Yes, of course. Why haven't I thought of that? And you said you were nothing but a book nerd."

"I am, I guess I remember every thing I've read no matter the subject. Anyway, I remember that cells are within the electromagnetic spectrum."

"That's correct. The effects of electromagnetic field modifies the cell membrane's behavior. Your cells most do the opposite."

Shit. Now I've got the nerd-telepathy thing going on.

I open my right hand and the golden orb rests on it again as my eyes sparkle in the same color.

"But why is this my first time experiencing this aspect of my powers?"

"Maybe it was affected somehow?" Iron fist asks, unsure of himself.

Everyone looks at each other, smiles, and then turns to him.

"Okay. I know that I'm not as smart as the rest of you, but you don't have to tease me with your genius mindreading," Iron Fist says.

"No, you're right. It was the symbiote"

Suddenly, the lights in the training room shuts on and I could feel a jolt of energy spiking up my spine. It feels as if I am having a caffeine rush, but it is far more vigorous. Daisy walks in the room looking a bit worn out.

"Why do you guys have it being so dark in here? Are your performing some sort of séance or something?"

"Does anyone else feel that?" I ask oddly excited.

The lights start flickering on and off, repeatedly.

"What was going in here while I was away?" Daisy asks.

"We can't even answer that ourselves. Vanessa, what is it that you are feeling"

The flickering comes to a sudden stop.

"I don't know, but it is making me feel so—so, so energetic." I lift up my hands and the luminating glow reappears, this time it looks like flames of golden light are forming from both hands.

"Okay, I want whatever it is that Vanessa had while I was away." Daisy says impressed.

"There's plenty of Chi around for everyone," Iron Fist replies reassuringly.

"I'm award that Chai tea had its side effects, but this is a little bit extreme?"

Iron Fist slaps his hand on his head disappointedly, and Daisy laughs mischievously.

"Not that I'm complaining, but how is this happening? I went through Terrigenesis weeks ago; why are these powers just getting out?"

"I don't know Vanessa; this is one of the things that science cannot explain."

"But I can." I hear my mother's voice say from the training room's entryway, as it startles the lightness into disappearing again. She looks at everyone else in the room with superiority.

"Give us the room. Daisy, inform them of the logistics of our mission and I will meet up with you all later to fill you in on what to expect from the next mission when Yoyo and May gets back."

"Mother," I say with a confident, coldness in my voice

"Will do," Daisy says as she gestures for everyone else to follow.

"Oh, and Danny, I need you to stay awhile longer if that's okay. We're gonna need some help from the outside."

"Namaste," Iron Fist says agreeingly, before catching up with the rest of the gang.

"His name is Danny?" I ask teasingly.

"Yeah, short for Daniel. Why do you hate the name?"

"No. It's just that, I thought that it would be something more eccentric like River, or Ziggy, or something. Not something as simple as Danny."

"Yeah well, Danny Rand is far more spiritual than he appears to be."

"Wait. Dan—Danny Rand as in Rand Industries?"

"Yep, that's the one. I like how he doesn't like to throw his wealthy status around."

"How humble of him…Wait a minute, I'm supposed to be angry with you right now. What was this conversation; some sort of distractive spy tactic?" I remind myself while retriggering a little rage.

"Vanessa please, I didn't even know that you were mad at me until you said it fifteen seconds ago. So, go ahead and tell me; what did I do to make you angry with me?"

"Well, for starters, since I've gotten my powers you've been ignoring me. You didn't check on me to see how I was doing, nor did you sit in on any of my training. At first, I thought it was because you were embarrassed of having an Inhuman daughter. But now I know you've been hiding from me because you didn't want me to find out the truth about my powers, about my father."

She lets out a refreshing sigh.

"Vanessa, everything I told you about your father was not a lie. And I know this may sound too cliché to your writer's ears, but yes, I did hold back from telling you certain things to protect you."

"From whom? From what?" I ask, yelling in frustration.

"From yourself."

She looks straight at me, and all I can see on her face is a mother's concern. It didn't occur to me that something from our past had been haunting her as well.

"I—I don't understand."

"Phew," Mom takes a long breath and takes a seat on one of the yoga mats. "Where do I start?"

"I mean, the beginning would be nice." I take my place on a mat next to hers, and she shoots me an annoyed glare.

"I know that sometimes your sarcasm comes off as charming, but this is not one of those moments."

"Alright, alright. I'll try to remain silent from now on, I promise." I make a zipping gesture with my right hand across my lips.

"Proceed," I continue.

"As I said, I didn't lie about how your father, and I had met. I was at ESU studying social work, and your father was a foreign exchange student from Wakanda—"

"Woah hold on. My father is from Wakanda?"

"Did I not mention that?"

"You said that he was from Africa, but you didn't specify which country."

"Oh, I thought I did."

"Wow, this is so cool. Now I can identify myself as Wakandan-American," I say overenthusiastically.

"You do know that that still technically makes you African-American right?"

"Don't try to ruin this for me."

"Anyway, as I was saying, your father was studying to be an anthropologist. We took an anthropology course together and fell in love, and I was pregnant by graduation."

"But he didn't flee afterwards, like you say he did. Did he?"

"Not then, No"

"You told me that he didn't want me, that he wasn't ready to raise a child. Why lie about something like that?"

"Please, just let me continue explaining. I promise, I'll get to that"

"Fine, I just don't see how you can make any excuses for something like that."

My mom gives me annoyed look.

"Okay, okay. Proceed."

"Anyway. After you were around four years old, I took a job as a traveling social worker. Your father was working internationally, researching different people and their cultures. One of his adventure took him back to Wakanda, there he met a family who called themselves witch doctors, but they were really mutants. They had to call themselves something else because, as you know, mutants were frowned upon. As they became friend with your father, one of the daughters of the family, Kaiya, showed him some crystals that she had found in a cave…"

"A terrigen crystal," I say

"Yeah, but we hadn't known what it was then, neither did they. Anyhow, Kaiya is a geologist, so she had the intelligence to study the crystal. The problem was that though Wakanda had the resources to provide the right equipment for the research…"

"They would have taken it away because it was the resource of an outsider." I finished.

"Exactly, so Kaiya asked your father if she could return here to America with him. She figured that American scientists had the right egotistic skepticism to fund her research."

"And of course she was right. Look, I don't want to come off as self-centered, but when are we going to get to the part about me."

"We're getting close, I promise."

I sigh impatiently.

"When they get to New York, the word about the crystal had already gotten out.


End file.
